Meet Dr. Vanessa Mullins, founder of Elevate Within LLC and a passionate executive coach whose journey into transformational coaching began with a profound realization – people needed someone to truly listen and help them navigate life’s most important decisions. With a doctorate in education and years of experience in STEM fields, Dr. Mullins has dedicated her career to helping individuals elevate their thinking and unlock their potential from within. Her unique approach combines academic rigor with heartfelt compassion, creating a safe space for people to transform their lives and achieve the success they’ve always envisioned.

Humans of Fuzia is proud to feature Dr. Mullins’ inspiring story as part of our mission to showcase leaders who are making meaningful change in the world. Her commitment to empowering others, particularly women in leadership and entrepreneurship, resonates deeply with our community of 5.2 million entrepreneurs and changemakers across 35+ countries. Through her work, she embodies the “She for She” spirit we champion – demonstrating how women can lift each other up and create lasting impact through authentic connection and support.

What inspired you to become an executive coach?

My interest came from talking with several close friends, and I noticed a pattern. I noticed that people didn’t have others to talk to about personal decisions. It was particularly interesting when a young man I really admired said, “I’m going through something, and I need to talk to someone about it. You’re so easy to talk with. You understand where I’m coming from. It’s a rare gift for me to even want to talk to someone about my personal business and feel like they heard and listened to me.” That acknowledgement was huge for me. I was hearing it a lot with several people, and I noticed that I was good at connecting people and really getting to the heart of the matter, with people walking away feeling energized, feeling like “I know what to do now.”

Can you tell us about Elevate Within LLC and your approach?

Elevate Within emerged about six or seven years ago, at the end of receiving my doctorate in education. In my research and dissertation, I was understanding what makes people successful. What I found is, if you can talk to people and really figure out their thoughts, ideas, and feelings, if you can help encourage them, they will catapult to become amazing people. It’s really about elevating those thoughts and feelings from within so they understand how to use their gifts more wisely. One of my four pillars of success is elevating your thinking – you have to start thinking differently about your situation to see a different outcome and reach for that different outcome of success.

What are your thoughts on women’s empowerment in entrepreneurship and leadership?

My background is in education, and I’ve taught STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math. I’ve seen in observation and research that you have to really encourage girls and young females to talk about their ideas in the classroom and have more leadership skills. I grew up in an environment where I felt empowered. I felt like in any room I could be competitive. Once a young girl understands that you do have a voice, you are someone, and when a teacher empowers a group and says anyone can be a leader, they realize “anybody can be a leader now because you’ve just empowered them with a role of responsibility and told them they could do it.”

Which women have had the most lasting impact on your journey?

First, my mother. She was the primary source and was very keen about having me in organizations that were uplifting. The church community, the spiritual community, was probably the number one place where I felt empowered and uplifted. It was an environment where you could grow and be yourself, but still get the guidance and education you need, understanding that the world is a big place and you do matter. Growing up in that environment where you feel accepted, loved, and where your voice counts means a lot. I understand and relate to people who haven’t been part of that, and there’s power in bringing people from different backgrounds together and letting them see how much we have in common.

What’s the biggest challenge you face as an entrepreneur?

The challenge is getting the word out that my services are available, but also letting people know that they can change and be the person or have the lifestyle they really want. My goal is to help people who really want to grow – you have to want to grow. The research says once you understand how to intrinsically help yourself, you will do it again and again. As a coach, I listen to people. A lot of people know what they want to do; they just don’t know how to do it. You have to affirm the truths within yourself – yes, I am a great person, yes, people love me, yes, people want to work with me. Once you affirm those truths and do the energy work, wonderful things begin to happen.

You mentioned you’re working on a book. Can you tell us about it?

I’m working on a book that I’m hoping to publish very soon. It talks about the process and my four pillars of success. It discusses everything from elevating thinking to how you actually become this new person. You have to affirm the truths within yourself and really do the energy work. It’s about the birthing of your community – how it can start small but grow into something much larger, creating a space where everyone can learn, grow, and share.

What are your thoughts on AI and its role in helping entrepreneurs?

I think with any technology, you have to be aware of what its potential is and how it can improve your life. As human beings, we are evolving every day and adjust to our environment. The focus should be on whether it’s used for good or bad. If it’s used for good, as a good resource, then fine. But if it’s used to hurt people or in a negative sense, then I wouldn’t be for it. People have to be clear in their purpose – what is the purpose of this AI technology? How will it help? You have to evaluate if there are any negative impacts. It’s like looking at ingredients on a can – you have to visibly see what this AI product is about, what are the ingredients, and how you’re going to use this information in your life.

“We all need help. Everyone needs help. I didn’t get here alone, and I’m not going there alone. So we need each other, which is community.”

Connect with Dr. Vanessa Mullins: http://www.elevatewithinllc.com/

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